17062026-LT-01.qxd 6/17/2026 1:00 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune LAST YEAR’S FLOOD TRAUMA HAUNTS DHOKA MOHALLA FROM BAR TO BERRY: LAWYER’S JOURNEY INTO FARMING ACTOR DISHANI CHAKRABORTY GETS ENGAGED TO BOYFRIEND Though compensation was announced, residents say they have not received a single penny so far. P2 In Issewal village, where most farmers cultivate wheat, paddy, Jaspreet Singh has dared to be different. P3 Dishani, daughter of Mithun Chakraborty, has announced her engagement to boyfriend Myles Mantzaris. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 39°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 38°C | MIN 25°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7:26 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5:21 AM WEDNESDAY | 17 JUNE 2026 | LUDHIANA Hotelier faces FIR for sheltering suspects in extortion racket Risky route Europe-based Namit Sharma ‘running gang from Portugal’ Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service As the Shastri Nagar railway crossing in Ludhiana has been closed from June 15 to June 19 due to the ongoing repair work, cyclists are putting their lives at risk by crossing the tracks. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN 4 booked for attacking cop over petty dispute Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 16 A minor altercation during a cricket tournament in the city turned into a serious brawl. A policeman and his friend were attacked by around six assailants. The attackers were allegedly under the influence of alcohol. They not only beat the vic- tims with sticks and sharp weapons but also openly threatened to kill them. The police acted swiftly in the matter and registered a case on Monday against the suspects, identified as Kaka, Bhola, Sumit and Kaka’s brother-in-law. The complainant, Suraj, a Punjab Police employee, in his statement to the police stated that on June 14, he and his friend Jaban, were taking part in a cricket tournament. After the match, an argument broke out between his friend Jaban and Kaka. When the argument escalated, he tried to intervene and inquired about the reason for the dispute. It enraged the suspect, Kaka, and he began abusing him. He also called his brother-in-law, his friend Sumit, his father, Bhola, and unidentified persons to the spot. All suspects were under the influence of alcohol. “The suspects attacked us with sticks and sharp weapons,” the complainant said. The police are conducting raids at various locations to arrest the suspects, said ASI Karamjit Singh of the Haibowal police station. Ludhiana, June 16 A Ludhiana-based hotelier landed in trouble for giving shelter to members of an extortion gang being run from Europe as a case has been filed against him. The gang members in the city had been demanding extortion from big businessmen and industrialists of the state at the behest of their ring leader Namit Sharma, suspected to be hiding in Portugal. The gangsters were so daring that they even opened firing at places of their targets, who refuse to pay extortion. The hotelier has been identified as Mohit Negi, owner of Royal Manor hotel on Pakhowal Road. After or prior to any planned incident, all members of the gang were helped by Mohit and they used to get shelter in his hotel. A senior police official said reliable information was received that Abhijit Singh, alias Mand (26), Manya Sahni (20) of Jawahar Camp, Ankush Yadav (25) of Bhai Himmat Singh Nagar, Sukhman Singh, Yuvraj Singh, alias Harman (20), and The hotelier’s role came to the fore during questioning of the four gang members nabbed on Monday, FILE other unidentified persons were active members of the Namit gang. At the behest of Namit, the gang extorts money in Ludhiana and other cities of the state and sometimes, fires at people by threatening to kill them. There are several cases registered against the members of the gang in various police stations of the city. As the gang had been planning to target a big businessman in Ludhiana, acting swiftly on information, the police registered a case at the Sadar police sta- tion and arrested Abhijit, Manya, Sukhman and Ankush on Monday. “Whenever gang members open fire at places of businessmen or rival gangs, they used to stay at Royal Manor hotel. The hotel owner, despite being aware about the criminal background and association of the suspects with the Namit gang, used to give shelter to them in his establishment. It was only when the police arrested the four gang members on Monday, ques- Man attacked by 12 seeks FIR Sena files complaint against singer for hurting sentiments Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 16 The Shiv Sena Punjab on Tuesday lodged a complaint with the Ludhiana police against Punjabi singer R Nait for his recent song. Led by Shiv Sena leader Rajiv Tandon, several workers of the organisation first reached the office of the Commissioner of Police (CP) from where they went to the office of ADCP Sameer Verma for lodging a complaint against the singer. He said R Nait, a renowned singer in Punjab, recently launched his song ‘Reel’. The singer had shown religious and sacred symbols in a objectionable manner in his song, due to which sentiments of the people have been hurt. “We have been assured by the police that a probe would be done and a case will be registered against the singer if he proves guilty,” he said. tioning of the suspects led to disclosures about the role of the hotel owner in the case,” said a senior official of the Ludhiana police. The case has been registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Sources said Manya, along with his aide, had also opened fire at Happy Rajput, another criminal, near Shingar Cinema on June 1 this month over a long-standing rivalry but the latter had escaped unhurt. From left: Firefighters dousing the flames; the wailing occupant of the shanty; and the owner of the buses being consoled by others in Pavitar Nagar on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTOS: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Shanty, two school buses gutted in major fire Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 16 A major fire broke out in a shanty located in Pavitar Nagar here on Tuesday, reducing the hut into ashes. Two school buses parked near the shanty also gutted in the fire. A bus and a Tata Occupants have a close shave; another bus, car moved to safe place Nano car were timely shifted to a safe place by their owners while the two school buses could not be saved as fire turned intense. As per information, a family staying in the shanty had been running a makeshift quilt-making unit. Cotton and other inflammable stuff were stored in large quantities. Sudden spark took the shape of intense fire. As the blaze spread, the occupants of the shanty initially tried to douse the flames but could not succeed in their attempt. Later, they rushed outside to save their lives. When the owner of the three private school buses, Sweeti, got information about the fire, he rushed to the scene to shift the vehicles to a safe place but managed to save only one bus. As the fire turned intense, the flames engulfed the two vehicles. A car parked near the shanty was also shifted to a safe place. After getting information, police and fire brigade teams swung into action. ASI Sudarshan Singh said: “We got information about the fire around 3 pm. I, along with a police team, rushed to the spot.” Initial probe has revealed that the fire started in the shanty, which later engulfed the buses. Two fire tenders, after considerable efforts, brought the blaze under control. No casualties were reported in the incident. Ludhiana, June 16 A man attacked by around 12 men at Shivpuri here sought registration of an FIR against the assailants. The victim, Ashok Kumar, a resident of Kailash Nagar, alleged that when he, along with his friends, was going home on motorcycles on June 12, around 12 assailants carrying sticks and iron rods attacked him. They also damaged their two bikes. “One of the suspects had an old enmity with me due to which he, along with his aides, attacked me. I suffered injuries on my head and other body parts. Later, a complaint was also lodged at the Daresi police station in this regard. I have been assured by the SHO that action will be taken in the matter. I urged the police to name all suspects in the case. CCTV cameras in the area had also captured them,” he said. He said the suspects had political connections and they might use the same to prevent action against them. — TNS Migrant workers arrive in large numbers as paddy sowing gathers pace Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 16 A large number of migrant labourers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have started arriving in the city and other parts of the state as the paddy sowing season gathers momentum. From the city, they will move to different villages, where they work in fields for over two months, earning wages, which many say are significantly higher than what they can earn in their native states. Dinesh Rai, a 52-year-old migrant labourer, came to Ludhiana about a week ago to work during the paddy transplantation season. At the request of a contractor, he Say season one of best annual earning opportunities for them also brought 22 other labourers from Bihar. According to the workers, the paddy sowing season in Punjab offers one of the best earning opportunities of the year. Speaking to The Tribune, Rai said the two-month stay in the state often provides an income, which would otherwise take much longer to earn back home. “We are called by landlords in Punjab. We move from one village to another, sowing paddy and irrigating fields. Since paddy transplantation is carried out in phases across districts, we usually work in two to three districts during the season,” he said. A substantial number of migrants has already reached the state for the paddy sowing season. While most of them have arrived alone, some have brought their families along. The labourers said they were generally paid around Rs 4,500 per acre for paddy transplantation. Workers engaged in fields at Aitiana village, near Ludhiana, said they expect to earn well during the season. “Our group of 22 labourers will transplant paddy on nearly 150 acres over the next month. We are hopeful of earning a good income by the end of the season,” said Vishal Yadav, another migrant labourer. The workforce is not limited to men. In many villages, migrant women as well as local Punjabi women can also be seen working in paddy fields. Tarsem Singh Jodhan, a resident of Jodhan village near Ludhiana, said migrant labourers arrive in Punjab every year to meet the seasonal demand for agricultural work. “There are many large landowners who employ migrant workers on a permanent basis. They are provided accommodation and basic amenities in villages. When c m y b additional labour is needed during peak seasons, the workers call their relatives and acquaintances from UP and Bihar, who readily come for a few months,” he said. While the labourers described the work as financially rewarding, they acknowledged certain challenges. “There are snakes in the fields, which can be dangerous. Sometimes workers fall ill and require medical treatment, which affects their earnings. Despite these difficulties, coming to Punjab during the paddy sowing and harvesting seasons remains a profitable option for us,” said a migrant labourer, Rinku Prasad. Migrants arrive at the Ludhiana railway station for the paddy transplantation. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN